Problem with coolpix 990 (1 Viewer)

[Reader]

Some of you might have seen Peter Hayes description regarding my frustration with the Glossy ibis the other day. I had set up my camera using Andy's guidelines in Birdwatch and settled down to try out using my camera on manual instead of auto focus. The trouble was that everytime I had the shot once the button was pressed it was taking about 2 seconds for the camera to actually take the shot.

My question is, why am I getting this small time delay between pressing the button and the camera taking the shot. As you can imagine each shot of the Ibis turned out with the bird with its head in the grass. In the end I resorted to taking the bird on auto focus otherwise I wouldn't have taken any decent shots at all.

 

[Andy Bright]

Shouldn't be 2 seconds..... fraction of a second. Are you sure you didn't have the camera in self-timer mode (the 'macro' flower symbol still shows with this).... a single press on the shutter-release button in this mode will give you a 3 sec countdown.

It's quite easy to accidentally go into this self-timer mode, as you cycle through the focus modes.
Any help?
Regards,
Andy

 

[Reader]

Andy

The self timer mode should show a small clock in the display shouldn't it? I haven't got that in my display so I have to say that it isn't in self timer mode - unless you can tell me different.

 

[Andy Bright]

Hi John,
The only other explanation that I can think of is that you pressed the shutter-release button in one movement..... it's a two stage affair and the first position gets the focus lock, best to keep this pressed then push the further to take the shot... should be near instantaneous as the camera lens doesn't have to hunt around to get a focus lock. The camera may have been struggling to get a focus-lock on the subject and that caused the delay.
With a remote cable-release you can have it so it locks in that first position, so you can take you hands off of it without the release probe pinging back... a further push on the cable-release plunger will take the shot.
Hope that helps,
Andy.

 

[Reader]

Andy

You are probably right with your explanation. However I wasn't using it on the scope as I was using the 5x lens. Trying to hold the camera all the time, whilst pressing the button down and also waiting for the right shot, could be a bit difficult but now that you have pointed out the possible problem I will be more aware of what to do next time around.

Thanks Andy.